Few hotels generated as much excitement on opening day as The Peninsula Tokyo did. Back in those days, there was a dearth of luxury hotel openings so a new player in the city was big news indeed. There was also much curiosity as to exactly what type of luxury hotel would occupy that prized piece of real estate at the doorsteps of both the Imperial Palace and the shopping district of Ginza. This small but strategically located plot of land once housed a post-war building with many fond memories for long-time Tokyo expatriates. It is arguably the best location for a hotel in Tokyo.

Fast forward 15 years or so, and The Peninsula Tokyo, with its flawless service and Old World style in a modern ambience, continues to be the hotel of choice for celebrities, top businessmen, and travelers seeking pampering and a stylish base for enjoying Tokyo and Japanese culture.

INCORPORATING JAPANESE DESIGN INTO A HOTEL

Created by noted Japanese architect Kazukiyo Sato and Japanese interior designer Yukio Hashimoto, the hotel is a jewel of Japanese and modern design with a distinctly local flavor. Mr. Sato says he envisioned the hotel as a Japanese lantern standing at the entrance to the Ginza and Marunouchi districts.

And anyone who has visited a Japanese temple will understand the roots of his inspiration. In the courtyard, a raised fountain made of Japanese granite is surrounded by a garden of pine, cherry, and maple trees.

THE ART OF JAPAN

Meanwhile the hotel lobby is a fitting setting for an LED chandelier created to resemble a cloud of hanabi (fireworks), and a beautiful bamboo sculpture of a Chinese dragon by contemporary Japanese designer Keisen Hama.

On the other hand, the hotel corridors were inspired by the narrow alleys of Kyoto. It even has floor lights similar to the lanterns outside teahouses. Then there are the mirrors to symbolize water, and the kimono designs incorporated into the carpets. In addition, approximately 1,000 artworks made mostly by Japanese artists using traditional techniques are displayed throughout the hotel. It’s the best of Japanese culture in a hotel stay.

ABOUT THE ROOMS OF THE PENINSULA TOKYO

The hotel has 28 116-square-meter deluxe suites, and we checked into one of them for much needed R&R. These rooms, among the largest in Tokyo, are furnished in neutral colors and earthy materials, with a combination of antiques and simple cherry-wood furniture. Red Japanese lacquer is poured over linen for a textured finish on the work desk,

Meanwhile, Japanese pine and crane designs are woven into the carpet, and the ceiling panels are painted gold over Japanese paper with cherry-blossom patterns.

WHAT’S IN A SUITE?

Upon entering our suite, we were immediately impressed by the tranquil setting and the spectacular views. We could see Hibiya Park and the Imperial Gardens from the wraparound windows in the living room. Then, having heard so much about the unique features of The Peninsula Tokyo’s hotel rooms, we eagerly inspected every detail.

Many of the room amenities were standard for top luxury hotels. However some stood out as unique to the hotel, including an antique-style telescope, a Lavazza coffee-making unit in the living room, and a nail dryer—yes, a built-in nail dryer—in the dressing room.

However, the room’s most impressive feature is probably the heavy, floor-to-ceiling wooden sliding door separating the bedroom from the dressing room. Made of horse chestnut hewn from a single tree, this door blocked out all noise and contributed to our sound sleep. Being cocooned inside this bedroom was certainly the most wonderful way to forget about the world and the pandemic, even for just a few days.

READ MORE ABOUT THE BEST HOTELS IN JAPAN

LOCATION OF THE PENINSULA TOKYO

Located south of Yaesu and Kyobashi, west of Tsukiji, and north of Shinbashi, Ginza is named after the silver-coin mint that stood in the area in 1612. Now the district is an upmarket area in Tokyo, known for its numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants, and coffeehouses. Many luxury label stores reside in Ginza, most notably the Hermès and Gucci flagship stores.

SHOPPING IN TOKYO

• Luxury designer boutiques such as Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Gucci, Christian Dior, Chanel, d Prada 
• Prestigious department stores, many of which are the oldest in Tokyo. The most exclusive is Wako, which is famous for watches, jewelry, porcelain, and handbags.
• Mikimoto sells its world-famous pearls right in Ginza, beside Wako Department Store.
• The Bulgari Ginza Tower, at 11 stories, is the Italian luxury brand’s largest store. There are VIP rooms, a bridal salon, a private club lounge, and a rooftop garden terrace overlooking Ginza. Ito-ya has eight floors full of specialty papers, writing instruments, leather-bound portfolios, and art materials.

A SPANISH HACIENDA OPENS AS A HOTEL THIS YEAR

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Some hotels are just made for staying in, and the corner suite of The Peninsula Tokyo is one of these. From the moment you enter and see the views offered from your living room and dining table, you know that you will not leave this 116-square meter suite if you can manage it. It has perhaps one of the most unique views in Tokyo.

You see, there are so many hotels on top of buildings in Tokyo these days so height is nice but nothing unusual. All of them offer wonderful glimpses of some part of this sprawling 21st century metropolis from their premium rooms.

THE CORNER SUITE OF THE PENINSULA TOKYO

However, the corner suite of The Peninsula Tokyo is just right. It’s high enough so that you can see the Imperial Palace from above. Yet it is also low enough so that you can appreciate the details all around. As far as hotel views are concerned, this is a sweet spot.

Every luxury hotel in Tokyo also has a unique design for its suites. The designers of The Peninsula Tokyo have chosen to put the living room and dining area in the best spot in each deluxe suite.

THE BEST PLACE FOR YOGA IN TOKYO

This area, with full floor-to-ceiling windows, has the widest frontage on the Imperial Palace. It’s perfect for room service meals at any time of day or night. Or for reading newspapers in the morning or doing yoga in the afternoon.

Yes, the suite has a yoga mat and a stretch pole. Obviously, someone has realized that practicing yoga and other wellness routines in front of one of the city’s most iconic views will result in incredible satisfaction and a desire to return to this same suite on the next visit.

THE JOYS OF DRESSING UP

The other unique aspect of this deluxe suite is its spacious dressing room, done beautifully with mirrors and wood paneling. Adjacent to the living and a buffer for the bedroom, it’s practically the size of an average guest room in Tokyo. So there is more than enough space for all the luggage and all the clothes of the fussiest fashionista guest.

In fact, it’s a joy to unpack the bags because you know right away that there is enough space for everything — and more. No need to share closets with the companion or to try and fit all toiletries in one dressing table. There is enough room for everything and everyone. In fact, there’s enough space for an extra bed in this dressing room, even if there is no such intention. This is how big it is.

The marble and stone bathroom too is a bright space with the bathtub located right by the window. In my suite, which was on the side nearer the palace than Hibiya Park, I could still see the Imperial Palace while I soaked in the tub. Now. How many hotels can offer a bathtub with a view of a palace?

READ ABOUT WHERE TO ORDER SOME OF THE BEST STEAKS IN TOKYO

A ZEN BEDROOM IN TOKYO

Interestingly, the living room and the dressing room are both wide and spacious but the bedroom is an intimate cocoon in comparison. It’s relaxing and simple in a very Zen way. No clutter and all seamless design. Moreover, it offers quiet views from its relatively smaller windows. Also, the door between the dressing room and the bedroom is one heavy slab of wood. It’s just right for shutting out the rest of the world every night for a calm sleep and sweet dreams.

For the record, the latter isn’t difficult at all, in the deluxe suite of The Peninsula Tokyo. After all, you have the prospect of a room service Japanese breakfast curated by a Michelin two-star chef to wake up to the next day.

Read more about the best hotels and resorts in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

READ ABOUT A LUXURY HOTEL IN SPAIN WITH ONLY FIVE BEDROOMS

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To tell you the truth, my expectations for dinner at Peter, the fine dining restaurant of The Peninsula Tokyo, were high, but not high enough to be swept off my feet. This swanky restaurant at the top of a luxury hotel with arguably the best location in Tokyo is named after a real person. Peter was a valued top executive of The Peninsula Hotels group. It is a lovely idea and such a nice way to pay tribute to a loyal and hardworking man. Nevertheless, there is nothing in this name to hint at a particular cuisine or food type. Or to inspire gastronomic dreams.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

However, although the name may have conjured nothing more than a neutral feeling at the outset for me, the interiors certainly impressed at first glance. Few restaurants have the luxury of enough space to create a 21st century high-tech fairy-tale atmosphere. But this is exactly what Peter is like.

Alighting from an elevatory that takes you straight to the top from the lobby, you enter a large room with mood lighting and tinges of blue and purple. The first thing you see are life-sized silver trees at the bar. It’s a bit like being in a disco in winter all year round — and it’s so pretty to see. So bar clients sit under this canopy of silver glitter with a view of the busy Harumi Avenue below.

ABOUT PETER OF THE PENINSULA TOKYO

Meanwhile, the restaurant proper is basically a sophisticated venue with tables arranged by the floor to ceiling windows to maximize the views. There are several more tables around a walkway that resembles a fashion runway. It’s perfect for events and parties. And on regular days, it makes for an interesting feeling to get to your window-side table via this catwalk that is visible to most other diners.

This is the kind of restaurant you dress up for, if you so want to. It’s the right place to use that designer dress just hanging in the closet for ages. And I can tell you that walking across that catwalk in fashionable attire is definitely a good way to start a special evening.

WHERE TO HAVE LOBSTER BISQUE IN TOKYO

Lovely as the design was, the revelation that night was the food. The starters were wonderful, and the lobster bisque was particularly memorable. However, the best part of the evening was the delicious steaks. These were among the best I’ve had in Tokyo in recent memory.

The cuts of meat on offer were unparalleled, even by Tokyo’s high standards, both for quality and unique provenance. These were not at all the usual good wagyu beef. In fact, they were mainly cuts not found on a typical steak menu.

A RIB EYE FROM OKINAWA

For example, there was a rib-eye from Okinawa on the menu. Okinawa? Who would have thought Okinawa would ever be associated with amazing steaks? Of course I had to have this. I was not disappointed either. I’d never heard anyone praise Okinawa beef in any way. And yet that evening, I had steak from Okinawa that was so delicious that I stopped talking to my companions.

READ ABOUT BREAKFAST PLANNED BY A MICHELIN TWO STAR CHEF IN TOKYO

“This is definitely a restaurant for a special celebration,” we all said to each other. Peter is not cheap, by the way. But neither is it crazy expensive by Japan fine dining rates. And the steaks are so good that we all felt we’d enjoyed a meal of excellent value. Hearts and stomachs were definitely full, and we will certainly be back.

More importantly, this was probably the best steak I’d had in a very long time. And in a city like Tokyo, that’s a big statement and a tough act to beat.

See more about the best hotels and ryokan in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

SPAIN’S NEWEST LUXURY HOTEL HAS FIVE HECTARES AND ONLY FIVE ROOMS

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Some kinds of food are the types you turn to because they brighten your day. Chinese dim sum is one of them, long regarded by foodies around the world as unparalleled comfort food. In Tokyo, there are many good Chinese restaurants. After all, this is the city that did not invent gastronomy but instead took it to higher levels of sophistication.

WHERE TO EAT DIM SUM IN TOKYO

Among the Chinese restaurants in T0kyo, the Grande Dame in every way is the well-rated Hei Fung Terrace of The Peninsula Tokyo. It’s beautifully done with intricate details that remind you of an old Suzhou or Shanghai neighborhood of local shophouses. Furthermore, it’s perfectly placed both for men who work and ladies who lunch. The Peninsula Tokyo is a short hop from the business center of Otemachi and it’s just down the road from Ginza as well.

“Why do people like Hei Fung Terrace so much?” A friend asked me, when I suggested meeting up there for lunch. It’s really an old favorite in Tokyo, and such a comfortable place for a nice meal.

HOW TO VISIT OLD CHINA

At the same time, you feel like suddenly you’ve been transported to Old China without quite leaving the city. Maybe old Suzhou or Old Hong Kong. This is a very important factor these days, by the way, with many international borders still closed. So not only do you go on a food trip, but you also enter a time capsule of sorts into another time and location.

So the restaurant itself is cozy and charming, with details that make your eyes wander everywhere while you wait for your food.

MY FAVORITE ROOM AT HEI FUNG TERRACE

While the old-fashioned wooden tables around a semi-circular terrace are quite popular, my favorite is the private room at the end. It opens up to a view of Hibiya Road and part of the Imperial Palace Gardens and Hibiya Park. In these days of the COVID-19 pandemic, too, it feels like the safest place to be, with adequate social distancing.

It’s a bright and tasteful room with a round table for luck and good communications — if we are to follow the Chinese preference for round furniture over sharp angled objects. At the same time, the combination of greenery and a busy street outside offers movement and energy that contrast to the calm interiors of the room.

Hei Fung Terrace Weekday Dim Sum Lunch

Assorted appetizers

Steamed dumpling, scallop, crab, steamed shrimp, mushrooms and cabbage dumpling, steamed chaozhou dumpling, chicken, lotus root

Deep-fried shrimp and taro puff

Baked barbecued pork pie with apple

Steamed Tsushima chicken, wood ear, mushroom, yuba, ginger, green onion

Hong Kong-style congee, grouper, dried scallop

Chilled almond jelly with fig

PENINSULA-STYLE COMFORT FOOD

As for the food, it’s really everyone’s favorite Chinese comfort food. The connection to Hong Kong and Shanghai perhaps further puts the seal of authenticity on the Hei Fung Terrace dining experience, because this is definitely where everyone goes for an elegant taste of Old China.

Interestingly, the restaurant is headed by a Ryu Osaki, a Japanese chef who is passionate about Cantonese food. The result — particularly for the dimsum which has made Hei Fung Terrace famous in Japan — is authentic dishes with a touch of subtle Japanese refinement.

A TRADITIONAL DIM SUM LUNCH

We enjoyed all the traditional dimsum included in a weekday lunch set that included almost everything we wanted to eat. Then there were the non-traditional treats like barbecued pork pie and steamed chicken. Perfect in between two sets of carbs, with dim sum to start and congee to end.

The congee was flavorful in a low-key way, with most of the tastes derived from the grouper and scallop. Of course, no dim sum lunch would be complete without favorite sweets at the end. There are already standard sweets favored to end a dim sum meal.

READ ABOUT THE CORNER SUITE WITH A VIEW OF THE PALACE

One of the choices is the ubiquitous sweet almond jelly adorned with seasonal fruits and garnishes by the chef. For that September lunch at Hei Fung Terrace, we found a fresh fig in our chilled almond jelly — a nice harbinger of the autumn weeks ahead of us.

Read more about the best hotels and restaurants in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

A BEAUTIFUL HACIENDA HAS OPENED ITS DOORS TO DISCERNING GUESTS

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During my week-long stay at the Peninsula Tokyo, breakfast became the highlight of each day. I had ordered it through room service, and it always arrived perfectly presented, tray by tray, as though each morning were its own private ceremony. What made it truly extraordinary, however, was the setting.

From the windows of my corner suite, I enjoyed sweeping 180-degree views over the Imperial Palace gardens and Hibiya Park. In Tokyo, where few hotels can offer such uninterrupted panoramas, this felt like a privilege. Morning light poured across the treetops, the palace moat shimmered below, and the city seemed to open itself just for me. To savor breakfast against this backdrop was to experience one of the most exquisite luxuries Tokyo has to offer.

A Japanese Breakfast by a Michelin-Starred Chef

Then, of course, there was the breakfast itself. I chose the traditional Japanese breakfast, and it rivaled the meals served at the finest ryokan in Japan. Yet here, at the Peninsula Tokyo, it came with a unique distinction.

The menu had been created by Kazuo Takagi, the acclaimed two-Michelin-star chef behind Takagi in Kobe. His restaurant is a landmark in Ashiya, one of Japan’s most refined and desirable districts, known for its quiet wealth and impeccable taste. To find his culinary philosophy translated into a hotel breakfast in Tokyo was both unexpected and unforgettable. Each dish reflected balance, seasonality, and the understated elegance that defines true Japanese cuisine.

LA ESPERANZA GRANADA: A BEAUTIFUL VILLA IN SPAIN

What’s in a Japanese Breakfast?

The Japanese breakfast at The Peninsula Tokyo arrived in a lacquered box, each compartment holding something delicate and precise. There were both cooked and cold dishes, including a silken piece of steamed eggplant, seasonal vegetables, and small bites designed to awaken the palate.

At the center of the tray was the star: a piece of perfectly grilled salmon, its skin crisp, its flesh tender and glistening. Alongside came the staples of every Japanese morning — a bowl of fluffy white rice and a steaming cup of miso soup. Simple, yes, but elevated in every detail.

Everything about the presentation reflected the philosophy of Chef Kazuo Takagi: balance, restraint, and respect for the ingredients. This was not just hotel dining. It was a breakfast that rivaled what you might be served in a traditional ryokan— yet here, framed by views of the Imperial Palace gardens, it felt utterly unique.

Western Breakfast at the Peninsula Tokyo

Although I ordered the Japanese breakfast most mornings, I occasionally switched to the Western menu. The Peninsula Tokyo breakfast offers several tempting choices, each prepared with the same attention to detail.

My favorite quickly became the eggs benedict, which I would argue is among the very best in Tokyo. Instead of the usual thin slice of ham, it came with thick, juicy bacon — perfectly seared and full of flavor. The poached eggs were set on a sourdough bun with just the right chew, its crust crisp and its center soft. The hollandaise sauce tied it all together with a rich, silky finish. It was indulgent yet balanced, the kind of breakfast you look forward to from the moment you wake up.

What’s a Chinese Breakfast Like?

The Peninsula Tokyo honors its Hong Kong heritage with a Chinese breakfast option. The meal begins with a warm, fragrant bowl of congee, paired with traditional condiments. Servers bring a bamboo basket filled with dim sum — delicate siomai and pillowy siopao — steamed to perfection.

During my week-long stay, I alternated between all three breakfast styles: the elegance of the Japanese set, the indulgence of the Western menu, and the comforting flavors of the Chinese offering. Each morning unfolded as a new journey, showing that at the Peninsula Tokyo, breakfast celebrates the world on a single table.

From Breakfast to Lunch at The Peninsula Tokyo

We savored breakfast at the Peninsula Tokyo for hours, enjoying every bite and every view. By the time we finished, lunchtime had arrived — the perfect moment to continue indulging inside one of the best hotels in Tokyo.

The dim sum at Hei Fung Terrace delivers another highlight. The hotel’s signature Cantonese restaurant pairs refined interiors with exquisite food. Chefs craft each basket of dim sum with precision, creating bites that are delicate, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The meal carries you smoothly from breakfast into lunch, turning an ordinary day into a celebration of taste.

Read more about the best hotels in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

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